Into the West
by JustDantana
Summary: Looking for a fresh start, Danny heads to Bozeman, Montana where he has been offered a job as a CSI. As he adjusts to his new surroundings, he finds friendship in fellow CSI, Lindsay, but soon they both find themselves wanting more.
1. Chapter 1

**Into The West**

**Summary: Looking for a fresh start, Danny heads to Bozeman, Montana where he has been offered a job as a CSI. He finds friendship in fellow CSI Lindsay, but soon they both find themselves wanting more. - DL**

**Author's note: Hey everyone! This is rhymenocerous and Brinchen86! As you might know we're huge DL shippers and we love writing fanfics, so what's better than writing fics together? JustDantan is our shared account and this is our very own project! The fic is AU but you'll find out more while reading. ;) We hope you'll like our story (and there will definitely be more). Please let us know what you think in reviews or pms! Feedback is very much appreciated!**

**Disclaimer: We don't own the show, the characters or anything else.**

**Rating: M**

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* * *

**Chapter 1:

Danny Messer ran his fingers through his hair nervously. He hated flying. In his mind, there was nothing more unpleasant than hurling through the sky at mind blowing speeds protected by nothing more than a glorified tin can. The only thing worse than flying, in Danny's opinion, was landing. He hated the feeling of his ears popping as the plane slowly descended. So, to try to distract himself he gazed out of the window at the landscape laid out before him.

It was so different from New York. Instead of the grand skyscrapers crammed together, cars honking and people scurrying here and there, all he saw were wide open spaces. It both terrified and excited him. He needed a new start, and he hoped that a change of scenery would be the key to getting his life back on track.

The plane banked hard to the right, causing Danny's stomach to lurch up into his stomach. He groaned at the sudden movement of the plane as the pilot lined them up with the runway below. As he gazed out at the scenery that was as foreign to him as an alien landscape scenes from the past year floated through his mind.

It had started with his brother. Danny's supervisors had not been pleased to find out that his brother was involved in the notorious Tanglewood Gang, headed up by junior mobster Sonny Sassone. And then Danny had been implicated in a cold murder case that tied back to Tanglewood. He had eventually been proven innocent, but the stigma of the accusation had clung to him and made his working relationships difficult.

His tenuous relationship with his boss, Detective Brigham Sinclair, had not improved when less than a month ago, Danny had been involved in the shooting of an undercover officer. Danny had been exonerated, but it was another black mark on his record, and when he had received a call from Mac Taylor out of Bozeman, Montana, he had jumped at the chance to start fresh.

He had no idea why Taylor had chosen him. He had been branded as a troublemaker, someone who followed his instincts, which sometimes got him in trouble. He only hoped that Detective Taylor would not come to regret his decision to hire him.

As the plane touched down on the tarmac, Danny looked around him at the other passengers on the plane. Most people ventured _to_ New York City to get a fresh start on their lives. People who were following their dreams ended up in New York. Danny Messer felt as if he was the only person who was _leaving_ the city for a fresh start.

When the seatbelt light finally flicked off, Danny stood and hitched his carry-on bag a little further over his shoulder. He waited patiently in line, just one of a string of people waiting to disembark from the plane. Most of these people were heading home or visiting loved ones or friends. Danny was here to escape. And start over.

He nodded at the Flight Attendant as she smiled and thanked him for flying with whatever airline it was that the department had sprung for. As he pushed past her, he marvelled at the quiet. Even in the airport, which was relatively packed, it was eerily quiet compared to the hustle and bustle of La Guardia. Danny felt out of place already, and he hadn't even gotten through the security check yet.

He ran his fingers through his hair as he waited at the baggage claim for his worn old bag to make its way around the carousel. When he finally spotted it, he heaved it off the revolving belt and started walking toward the exit. He looked down at the hastily scribbled note in his pocket. Detective Taylor had called him just as he was leaving for the airport, telling him that he would be sending a Detective Monroe to meet him and take him to his hotel.

He walked out of the front doors of the Gallatin Airport and looked around. He saw no welcoming committee, so he dropped his bag onto the ground beside him and waited, not quite sure where he should be going. He turned as he heard his name called.

"Danny Messer?" The voice belonged to a petite brunette woman. She was wearing a loose-fitting white blouse and worn jeans, and Danny thought that she was the picture of a relaxed country girl. His lips curled slightly into a smirk as she made her way toward him. She extended her hand and shook it firmly. "Hey. I'm sorry, I didn't see you right away. I'm Lindsay Monroe, Bozeman Crime Lab.

* * *

Lindsay Monroe was sitting in the driver's seat of her old pick up truck, one elbow resting on the frame of the open window while the fingers of her other hand were impatiently drumming against the hard, worn out fabric of the steering wheel. It was a beautiful day in late summer, the leaves of the trees were slowly changing their colour, a soft, warm breeze was blowing, allowing her to wear jeans and a plain blouse. She loved it when summer changed into fall, when the days were getting shorter and the nights were getting longer, when the first frost was covering the fields in the morning. She loved to snuggle into her thick, old coat and go for endlessly long walks, enjoying all the various smells, listening to the sound of the cool wind rustling in the trees and deer roaring in the woods.

Currently she couldn't enjoy the beauty of the day though. Instead of having a nice long walk in the forest Lindsay had to sit in her car in front of Gallatin Airport in Belgrade, Montana, with the task to pick up the newest member of the Bozeman Crime Lab. Danny Messer. She didn't know much more about her new co-worker yet. Mac had only told her his name and then sent her to the airport with instructions to pick him up and take him to his hotel where he would stay until he found his own apartment.

Only a name she knew and Lindsay didn't know whether she wanted to change that or not. She wasn't unfair and usually she was open to everyone without any prejudices. She was one of the first who would welcome a new colleague. This time though things were a little more difficult as this man was supposed to replace another colleague. Marty Pino had been a close friend to Lindsay and still she was nowhere near accepting that he had been fired.

Fired because of his determination and wish to solve a case and help the victim to get what she deserved. For months Marty had been trying to catch rapist DJ Pratt. They had been so close to arresting this monster. But then the victim hadn't been ready to give her statement anymore. Pratt was free, but Marty hadn't been willing to give up on the case. Pratt had to be arrested and Marty hadn't gotten tired of fighting for it. Until he had crossed a line.

Of course Lindsay knew Mac hadn't had a choice; he had to fire Marty after he had been just a breath away from manipulating evidence. He had stopped himself in time; too late to save his job though. Lindsay's rational mind understood that Marty had to leave his job, but still it pained her. She couldn't get used to the fact he had to leave and that now a crime scene investigator from New York would replace him. She wasn't going to make it hard for him but she also didn't know whether she would be able to welcome him or not.

So lost in her thoughts was Lindsay that she had turned her attention away from the entrance of the airport. That way she missed the man who walked out of the building, stopping on the large forecourt, unsure on where to go. It took her another few minutes before she remembered what she was supposed to do. Turning back around, Lindsay groaned at herself as she realised she had missed the right moment. Hastily she left her car to greet the new arrival, even though she didn't feel like doing that at all and dearly wished someone else would have gotten this task.

"Danny Messer?" she shouted as she hurried across the crowded forecourt, causing the man to turn around at her question. A light smile lit his face as he found her making her way through the mass of people. It was just a moment in which Lindsay got caught by the smile that almost got close to a light smirk, mixed and those blue eyes that seemed to be sparkling in the sunlight. He was a handsome man, that was for sure, but as quickly as this thought had popped into her mind she had already pushed it aside again. He might be handsome, but that didn't mean anything. It didn't reveal anything about his character and it also didn't change the fact that he was replacing Marty. "Hey. I'm sorry, I didn't see you right away. I'm Lindsay Monroe, Bozeman Crime Lab."

His smile widened as he took the hand she offered to him and shook it. "Ah, one of my new co-workers. Nice to meet you, Lindsay."

"Nice to meet you, too, Danny," she answered, surprising herself with the fact she wasn't even lying. She glanced down at the large bag that was resting next to him on the floor. "You didn't bring much with you obviously."

Danny shook his head. "Some other things will be sent later, but in fact I didn't really feel like taking all of my stuff with me. I think it's better to just buy it new."

"I should warn you though," Lindsay said. "This is Bozeman. We don't have big shops like you've got in New York." She bit her bottom lip at her own response but he only laughed in response.

"Believe it or not, Lindsay, but I doubt I'll miss the shops. Or anything else from back there." His voice trailed off and Lindsay caught herself raising her eyebrows at the change of his expression. Whatever he had in mind though, it was his business and she didn't plan on satisfying her quickly rising curiosity with questioning him.

"I guess I'll take you to your hotel now," she told him then, nodding her head towards her car. "I guess you're tired after the flight."

"It's actually fine, although I could think of better things than sitting in a plane. I'm not that comfortable with flights," he admitted.

"I understand that," she replied with a little smile. Indeed he looked tired. From a former flight she had talken to New York she knew that even though it wasn't that long it was still exhausting. "Mac told me that you'll stay at AmericInn. It's a pretty nice hotel, at least for the time you'll have to stay there until you got your own place. But I guess that shouldn't be a problem."

"Nah, I also don't really need that much anyway," he said, shrugging as he picked his bag up to follow her to her car. "Just a bed and something to eat and I'm happy."

Lindsay couldn't help but chuckle at his words. "Then you'll like the hotel." Together they made their way over to the car. They were silent for a moment and Lindsay used the chance to have a second look at the new arrival. Danny didn't seem to be at all like the man she had expected. She had imagined him to be dressed up in a suit, pulling one of those fancy silver suitcases and frowning at the sight of her old, dirty truck. Instead she was facing a man who was wearing old jeans, a well fitting t-shirt, carrying a large bag that had obviously been used a lot before.

"Nice truck," he said then, completely proving her image wrong.

"Funny," she replied, opening the door on the passenger's side before she walked around to let herself in.

"You think I'm kidding?" Danny asked back, heaving his bag into the back of the truck before he sank into the passenger's seat. "I love old trucks."

"Even better," Lindsay answered, once again not able to stop herself from smiling. Still this didn't mean she would make friend with her new co-workers, but no one said that she couldn't at least be nice to him and like him anyway. After all it wasn't his fault Marty had been fired. He was just looking for a new job.

They drove in silence for a while but Lindsay couldn't deny that even though she had promised herself to not care for her new colleague, she was interested in finding out more about Danny. He didn't seem to be the cold, arrogant guy she had expected for some reason. Also she assumed that if she was new in a city, even in a whole different state, she would want to be accepted and supported. It was then that Lindsay started to wonder if somehow Mac had expected her to react like that, despite her anger. Even though she was angry and hurt because of Marty's firing, she had a hard time with unloading her frustration on innocent people.

"So how come a man from New York City decided to move to Bozeman, Montana?" she decided to ask then, smiling as she saw him snapping out of whatever thoughts he had been in. "Are you sure you want to trade the busy metropolis with the quiet country?"

"Yeah," he answered, surprising her with the soft determination in his voice. It seemed like he had been asked this question a couple of times before. "It's not like I decided that from one day to the other. I guess I need this fresh start though. And Bozeman will be just fine. Might just take me some time to adjust to it."

With that he was silent again and Lindsay refused to question Danny even more. He had his reasons for moving, and his mention of a fresh start made her believe that there had to be more behind his decision than the prospect of a new job. She thought it was more likely for someone to move from Bozeman to New York instead of vice versa. But he had chosen this way and she hoped that somewhere along the line she would learn more about his reasons.

* * *

The hotel was small, near to the highway and not what one would like to consider home for a long while. Danny didn't mind it at all though. He hadn't been lying when he had told Lindsay he didn't need more than a bed to be happy. Most of the time he would be busy with work anyway. He was determined to prove that Mac Taylor's decision to hire him hadn't been a mistake. He assumed that a couple of people would have tried to warn his new boss; after all Danny seemed to have a talent for getting himself into the worst trouble. Like getting involved in the Tanglewood case. Like being involved in a shooting in which an undercover cop had been killed.

Danny had moved to Montana because he was hoping for a fresh start, a new chance. He had gotten this chance with the job offer from Mac Taylor and he wouldn't mess it up. He wanted to show this man that he was a good crime scene investigator, that he was worth his trust and would be able to do a great job, possibly become one of his best CSIs. Even if this meant that he had to pull one double shift after the other. The result would be worth it.

And then there was Lindsay. Danny hadn't missed the distant look she had given him; he was well aware of the fact that he was replacing a former co-worker of hers and he assumed that she wasn't too happy to see him. He wouldn't feel any different in her situation. He hadn't missed how she had soon changed her opinion though, had even asked him questions. And as she had dropped him at the AmericInn, she had even offered him a smile and told him she was looking forward to meeting him the following day and to call her if he needed anything. Whether she was just being polite, or she was really sympathetic he didn't know for sure, but right now it didn't matter. Lindsay had been nice to him, and to Danny that was a relieving knowledge.

Sighing softly, Danny got up into a sitting position on his bed again. The room was beautiful. Lovingly decorated in what he assumed what the famous country style. It was suited well to the house and to the entire area. Montana was so different from everything he knew, but to his surprise he didn't miss the skyscrapers, noisy cars and masses of people. The quiet of the country and the nature surrounding him seemed to have a calming, almost healing effect on his exhausted soul. He needed this fresh start and right now he couldn't think of a better place for that than Bozeman, Montana.

His eyes wandered over to the near window. Sunrays were finding their way inside, drawing long lines on the wooden floor. Slowly he got up and headed over to it to open it. Instantly he was greeted by a fresh, warm breeze. Closing his eyes for a moment he took a deep breath, inhaling the scent that was so different from the city. There were a lot of different smells; trees, fields, other things that Danny couldn't identify yet. But there wasn't the usual smell of dirt and dust. It felt good actually.

Opening his eyes again, Danny took in the view in front of him and unconsciously he smiled at what he saw. Those endlessly far fields, edging the dark, thick forest at the bottom of the mighty mountains; it was his home now and the beginning of another chance. And all of the sudden he felt it again; a feeling he hadn't experienced in what had to be ages. Hope. Hope that here, in the middle of nowhere, things would be so much better, just like he had been wishing.

* * *

Lindsay watched Danny disappear inside the front doors of the AmericInn Hotel before signalling and pulling back out into traffic. She thought about Danny staying alone at the hotel and she hoped that he would find somewhere more comfortable to live soon. She knew from experience that even a few days of living out of a suitcase could become very tiresome. Not really being able to fully unpack because nothing in the room belongs to you, yet not wanting to go rooting around through your bag everytime you needed to find something. As he'd gotten out of her car, she had suddenly had the urge to offer him a small token of friendship - to show him that there were no hard feelings. It wasn't his fault that he was replacing one of her best friends. She'd smiled at him and told him to call if he needed anything, and that she would pick him up first thing in the morning to take him into the lab.

As she drove the familiar route home, she considered her new coworker. He seemed nice enough, although they had only spent a few moments together. On the drive over he'd been fairly quiet, and she hadn't wanted to push him too much for information, although she was very curious as to why someone would want to transfer out here to Bozeman from New York. She got the feeling that there was a story behind his move. Something he was trying to escape from.

Lindsay and Marty had developed such a good rapport over the years, and they made such a good team that they could finish each other's sentences. She did not look forward to having to break in a new partner. And although she understood the reason behind letting Marty go, she didn't have to like it. So when she had arrived at the airport to pick him up, she had been prepared to hate Danny Messer. However, her opinion had begun to change as soon as she actually spoke to him. He had been quiet and unassuming and nothing like she had expected. He had said that he only had simple needs - something to eat and a place to sleep, and judging by his lack of luggage, she figured she could take him at his word. He was truly starting over here in Bozeman, and he was making a concerted effort to adjust already to his new surroundings.

Lindsay pulled up outside of her house and noticed that her boyfriend's car was parked in front. She smiled as she locked her car door behind her and started up the front steps. She unlocked the door and walked in, placing her keys in the table in the hallways and kicking off her shoes.

"Clay?" she called.

"Out here, babe," came a voice from the back of the house. Heading down the hallway, she saw that her back door was open and she could smell the delicious scent of barbequed chicken.

She stepped out onto the deck and smiled at Clayton Parker, her boyfriend of the last two years. "Hey, Clay," she said as she walked over and slung her arm around his waist.

"Hey yourself," he replied keeping an eye on the chicken. "I hope you don't mind, I decided to come over and surprise you with dinner."

She smiled at him, "That's fine. Thank you."

"So, how's the new guy? What's he like?"

Lindsay shrugged her shoulders. "He's alright I guess," she said. "Quiet. Strangely he doesn't seem all that nervous, considering he just picked up and moved his whole life across the country. We'll see how he does tomorrow though."

"Good," said Clay as he kissed her hair. "I can't wait to meet him."

Lindsay nodded her head. Standing there, wrapped in her boyfriends arms, she couldn't help her thoughts drifting off to the lonely New Yorker sitting alone in his hotel room on the other side of the city.


	2. Chapter 2

**Into the West**

**Author's Note: Hi, it's us again! We just wanted to say a big thank you to all of you who read Chapter 1, and a special thank you to those who left us reviews. Woo hoo! We are so glad that you liked what we've written so far. So, without further ado, please enjoy Chapter 2.**

**We would love to hear what you think of this chapter, so please leave us a review or send us a PM!**

**Special credit to rhymenocerous for betaing.**

**Rating: M**

Chapter 2:

The early morning sun was finding its way through a gap in the curtains that covered the bedroom window. The sun was giving off a comfortable warmth and as Lindsay felt the first sun rays on her face, she smiled softly. She loved to be woken up by the sun rather than by the nagging sound of her alarm clock.

Sighing lightly, Lindsay stretched in bed, rolling onto her side as she instinctively reached over to the other half of the bed. She wasn't surprised as she found it empty already. This was the one big disadvantage of being in a relationship with someone who worked shifts as crazy as her own. Then again Clay loved being a police officer as much as she loved being a CSI. They had been born to have those jobs and she wouldn't change it even if she had the chance. Her job was her passion, even when she had to get up in the middle of the night and stand at a crime scene while she was freezing in the rain.

Blinking a few times, Lindsay tried to adjust to the bright sunlight before she managed to open her eyes completely. She squinted lightly; even the red curtains couldn't swallow all of the early sunshine. Summer was definitely on its way out, and she could feel the nights getting longer and the days getting shorter and colder. Fall was approaching and soon the icy cold would cover the land for the next couple of months. The wind would be blowing constantly. It would get so cold that it was impossible to spend more than a few minutes outside at a time, and the landscape would be covered with a thick layer of glistening snow. Winter in Montana was rough and hard. Winter in a big city like New York was nothing compared to the winters out here in Bozeman. Lindsay wondered if Danny knew that.

As her thoughts drifted to her new co-worker, Lindsay felt her cheeks heat up. Shaking her head, she chuckled nervously. It was strange that she was thinking about him again. She guessed he was probably still asleep. Many first time visitors to Montana found that the fresh mountain air knocked them right out at night, never mind that he had just flown more than halfway across the country. It was also possible that he was awake already, maybe even nervous about his first day at work where he would meet his new coworkers for the first time.

It was a whole new world, a real fresh start. The city boy had moved into the wild country of Montana. She wouldn't be surprised if he was nervous, possibly even afraid. As a gesture of friendship, she had offered to come by and pick him up in the morning. She had told him that it was no problem - they were working the same shift anyway. Besides, they didn't know whether Mac would want him to report to the lab or to a crime scene first thing in the morning.

A smile lit her face as she remembered the conversation they had had about her offer. He had told her that he would be just fine. She had asked him how he figured he could get to work without a car, reminding him of the fact that the streets weren't filled with taxis. Also, public transportation couldn't be compared to New York at all. He had only stared at her for a moment and told her he needed a car. She had promised to help him and find one after his first shift.

Danny - her new co-worker. Once again Lindsay felt her cheeks redden. When she had first heard that Mac had hired a new CSI she had been determined to not like him. Now, early this morning one of her first thoughts was of him. Obviously she had already started to like him. She thought that her original intent to dislike him right away was a bit out of character for her anyway. She was welcoming to everyone and Danny seemed to be a nice person. Although he seemed reserved, he was friendly and she couldn't help but feel that they would get along very well. Besides, it wasn't his fault Marty had gotten himself fired.

Sighing softly, Lindsay pushed the blanket away and made her way over to the window. Again she blinked as she pushed the curtains aside to open the window, instantly being blinded by the bright sunshine. She took a deep breath of the fresh, already warm air. Another rich, beautiful day in late summer was awaiting them. And once again she caught herself wondering what Danny was doing and if he was looking forward to this day as much as she was.

* * *

Danny was running late. He had overslept after his long journey across the country and was now scrambling to gather the things he would need for the day before Lindsay arrived to pick him up. He brushed his teeth while scanning the room with his eyes, trying to find his shoes. He could see one on the floor beside the bed, but the other one? He had no idea.

After he was finished brushing his teeth, he quickly rinsed his mouth out with a glass of cold water from the tap, then checked his appearance in the mirror. His blondish hair was carefully dishevelled and his face clean shaven. He was a bit nervous about his attire. At the lab in New York he had been required to adhere to the office dress code, which meant that he had worn a suit to work everyday for the past five years. However, he wasn't sure whether office policy here in Bozeman would be a little more lax or not, so Danny had opted for his version of business casual - a pair of tailored trousers, his favourite green t-shirt and a sports jacket. He really wanted to make a good first impression on his new coworkers, and he hoped that he would be able to blend right in with them.

Danny turned back into his room to begin the search for his missing shoe. He picked up the one by the bed and was about to bend down to look under the furniture for its mate when there was a sharp knock on the door. Danny made his way to the door, turning the deadbolt and unfastening the security chain before pulling it open to reveal Lindsay Monroe.

"Morning Lindsay," he smiled in greeting at her. He took in her appearance. She was wearing a pale pink blouse and grey dress pants and Danny was suddenly very glad that he had chosen not to go with his jeans this morning.

"Good morning," she said. "You ready to go?"

"Just about," Danny said as he held up his lone shoe. "Just trying to find the other one of these, and then I'm all set. I'll be just a sec."

"Okay. I'll be out in the truck," she said jerking her thumb over her shoulder in the direction of the parking lot. "Don't take too long, we've got to get straight to a scene. Part of the team's already there waiting for us."

Danny nodded his head in understanding. "Be right there," he said as he watched her turn and walk back down the hall. He closed the door and turned back into his room. He immediately began a frantic search and was finally rewarded when he found his wayward footwear shoved deep under the bed. He dug it out and slipped into his shoes, then he grabbed his badge, wallet, keys and gun from the drawer of the nightstand and left the room, closing and locking the door behind him.

The car ride to the crime scene took longer than Danny had expected. Bozeman was bigger than he'd originally anticipated, especially when taking into consideration the neighbouring counties that the Bozeman PD had jurisdiction over. Lindsay had the radio tuned to a country station and she had quietly sung along to every song as she drove, gently tapping the steering wheel in time to the music. Danny had sat in silence, feeling the warm, fresh air as it washed over him through the open window, and trying not to think about the giant butterflies that were currently flapping around in his stomach. Eventually they pulled up to a large gravel parking lot on the edge of what Lindsay had explained was Gallatin National Forest. Danny gazed around at the familiar sight before him - police cars, ambulances, fire trucks, and as always the bright yellow tape roping off the crime scene. As he was about to open the door, Danny felt a soft hand on his arm and turned to see Lindsay looking at him with a small, friendly smile on her face.

"You're going to do fine today, Danny," she said. "Everyone's really excited to meet you."

Danny smiled back at her, grateful for her words of support, as his nerves had been getting the better of him on the drive over. "Thanks," he said. "I think I needed to hear that." She gave his arm one last gentle squeeze before hopping out of the truck and walking over to the crime scene. Danny closed his eyes and took a deep breath before he opened his own door and began walking over to join Lindsay.

"What do we know, Stella?" Lindsay asked a tall woman with wild brown curls.

"Looks like a hiker was attacked by a grizzly bear about 100 yards ahead on the trail," Stella replied.

"Okay," said Lindsay, nodding her head. "So, grizzly attack - that's a job for animal control. Why are we here?"

Stella peered at Lindsay over the top of her sunglasses before continuing. "Because according to the ME, the hiker appears to have sustained some severe wounds prior to the bear attack, including a gunshot wound to the leg."

"So what you're saying," Danny interjected as he caught up to the two women, "Is that someone injured the hiker in such a way that he wouldn't be able to escape to safety, and then left him to fend for himself against a grizzly?"

Stella looked at Danny with wide eyes for a moment before a warm smile broke out on her face. "Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying," she said. "And you must be our new investigator from New York."

"That'd be me, Danny Messer. How you doing?" Danny said as he extended his hand for Stella to shake.

"I'm fine, thanks Danny. I'm Stella Bonasera," she said as she took his hand and shook it firmly. "It's really nice to finally meet you."

"You too," said Danny. "So, where do you want me to start?"

"Well, since you and Lindsay came straight here this morning, we packed a spare kit for you. Go grab it from the back of my truck over there and I'll get you to start going over the scene to see if you can find anything that points to a struggle before the bear attack."

"Will do," said Danny, smiling at Lindsay and Stella before heading over to Stella's truck. As it did every time he got to a new crime scene, his mind started to race through different techniques he would use to find and analyze the evidence. Right now he was thinking about finding out who had injured the hiker; How many of them were there? Where did they come from? He picked up the kit - he smiled as he saw the letters D. MESSER written in black felt pen across the top - and ducked under the crime scene tape to begin his first case in Montana.

* * *

They had been at the scene processing for about an hour. They had found evidence of multiple shots being fired, and Lindsay and Stella were off searching the area for signs of the missing bullets. Danny was back in the parking lot, going over some tire treads he'd found in the dirt there, as well as several sets of footprints found on the trail. Lindsay hazarded a quick glance over her shoulder at the team's newest CSI before turning her attention back to the tree she was examining for bullet holes.

Apparently her glance didn't go unnoticed by Stella. Lindsay looked up from the bullet fragment she had found embedded in the tree and saw Stella grinning at her. "What?" she asked.

"Oh, nothing," said Stella. "Just wondering how things are going with the new guy. He seems nice."

"Yeah, he's okay," Lindsay said, trying to keep her voice sounding nonchalant. She was finding it difficult though, because she truly found Danny to be a lot more than nice. She found him interesting, a bit mysterious, and very attractive. At the airport yesterday she'd thought that he was handsome. But after a good night's sleep, a shower and a shave he looked like a different person. Lindsay's pulse had quickened and the palms of her hands had suddenly become extremely clammy when he'd opened his door to her that morning. He had leaned casually against the door of his room, one shoe dangling loosely from his fingers, his hair arranged messily so that she just wanted to reach up and run her fingers through it. He had been adorably flustered at being unable to find his shoe, and she had returned to the car and had to turn the air conditioning on full-blast to counteract the overwhelming heat that was rushing through her body.

"Just okay?" Stella asked with a chuckle in her voice, snapping Lindsay's attention back to the present. "That's all that you can say? That he's _just okay_? The way you've been staring at him with your mouth open and your tongue hanging out all morning, I was beginning to think that you might need a cold shower when we get back to the lab."

"What?!?" Lindsay was horrified. Had she really been staring at him? She thought that she had been fairly good at sneaking little glances at him every so often, but that obviously wasn't the case if what Stella was saying was true. "I... I wasn't..."

"It's okay, kiddo," Stella chuckled at her friend. "Luckily I think that I'm the only one who's noticed." Lindsay felt a surge of relief wash over her. "And your secret is safe with me."

"Thanks, Stell," Lindsay said as she smiled at Stella. "I think it's just that he's new and it's weird seeing him here when I'm used to looking over and seeing Marty."

"Sure, sure," said Stella with a wink. "It's pure curiosity. Of course, why didn't I think of that? Those big blue eyes, the accent and that hot body have absolutely nothing to do it. Nope. None whatsoever. I totally believe you kiddo."

"Hey Stell," Lindsay asked.

"Yeah Lindsay?"

"Shut up," said Lindsay as she turned her attention back to her work, engrossed in the trace amount of gun powder she had pulled from the stump in front of her.

* * *

His first day in Bozeman had been exhausting and rough. Danny had to admit he had thought that in such a small town there wouldn't be as much crime as in New York City. He had been wrong. The Bozeman PD seemed to have as much work to do as the NYPD and his first case had him rushing across the city on search of suspects and witnesses. Luckily he had had Lindsay at his side all the time. Who would have expected the city was that big? He knew that soon he would have to get himself a car, otherwise he would be lost out here in the wilderness of Montana. Crime scenes wouldn't be conveniently located near subway stations, but somewhere in the mountains, the forest, or some other location where public transportation could not take him.

But although Montana was a lot tougher than he had imagined, Danny had to admit that after this first day he was even more convinced that his decision to move had been right. Montana was a sharp contrast to New York. It would take him a while to get used to the landscape, the different smells and the unnerving quiet. He was still startled by fact that he didn't hear the sound of honking cars or the sirens of the police when he woke up in the morning. Montana was so different to everything he knew and he for that he was truly grateful. He had left the past behind. He could start fresh.

Right now he was sitting in the locker room taking a break before he would finish up a few files and call a taxi to head back home. He was satisfied with himself; Mac Taylor had given him an appreciating look and had told him that he had done well on his first day. Lindsay had offered a wink and a smile, letting him know that if Mac had given him such a compliment, he should be really proud of himself.

Lindsay. The moment the fellow CSI found her way into his mind, he couldn't help but smile. He mentally thanked Mac for sending her to the airport to pick him up. She had been so nice and welcoming, and had even offered to pick him up, and she always answered all his questions willingly. She was the perfect example of what he thought a country girl should be. She belonged in this place. This was her home. She loved the country from the bottom of her heart and was proud to be from Montana, proud to have been raised on a farm. He found everything about her fascinating and the more he got to know her, the more he started to believe that there was a reason that she had been the first person he had met after his arrival.

"Pretty stressful day, wasn't it?"

A male voice caused Danny to snap out of his thoughts and look up. He had missed the man who had entered the locker room behind him. He was a tall, athletic man with dark hair and dark eyes, with a friendly smile on his face. He had seen him around a few times during the day but hadn't yet been introduced to him.

"Danny Messer, I presume?" he asked, offering his hand. "I'm Clayton Parker, Bozeman PD. But you can call me Clay."

"Nice to meet you," Danny answered, shaking the offered hand.

Clay nodded. "I'd have talked to you earlier but there was no chance. I made it my personal mission though to talk to you. After all Lindsay has said about you, it was on top of my to do list."

Lindsay. Danny could feel his cheeks redden a bit at the mention of the woman he had just been thinking about only a minute ago. He cursed himself for his behaviour; who was he to blush because of a new colleague? Even though he had to admit she was a very pretty new colleague. "You and Lindsay are friends then, I guess?" he couldn't help but ask.

Clay's smile widened as he opened his locker. "I'd say a little more than friends."

Danny found himself tensing at the man's words. He hadn't been prepared for this answer. "So you're...together?"

Clay nodded. "Yep. But don't worry, I won't rip your head off when you talk to her. She and Marty - the guy that you're replacing – were really close friends too. She gets along with men very well, which is not surprising as most of her interests are pretty...male." He chuckled. "She seems to really like you, even though she has known you for less than a day. I hope that means you'll fit in here really well. Linds is usually a really good judge of character and reads people well."

Danny didn't know whether to blush and be happy about those words or not. He knew it had been naive of him to expect Lindsay to be single, and being jealous of her relationship with Clay was childish. But even though he knew he was being slightly ridiculous, he just couldn't help how he felt. At least Clay seemed to be nice. He didn't seem to be the jealous type, not allowing his girlfriend to so much as talk to another man.

"So," Clay closed his locker again, "Do you still have a lot of work to do? Lindsay said you don't have a car yet, so if you want we can take you home after your shift. We were thinking about stopping at a bar for a drink or two on the way home."

Instinct told Danny to say 'no' to this suggestion, but he knew that it was caused by his irrational feelings of jealousy. He wanted a fresh start, and that meant getting to know his co-workers better and making new friends. And a few drinks with Lindsay and Clay would be a good step into the right direction. "Thank you, that'd be great," he said.

Clay nodded with a smile. "Fantastic."

Danny watched Clay leave the locker room before he released a sigh. Lindsay seemed to like him, which was great to hear. But as happy as he was about the fact that he was getting along with his colleagues so well, and had even managed to impress his boss, he couldn't help the strange feeling of loneliness that had suddenly crept up inside him since meeting Clay.


End file.
